Systems and methods of harvesting energy in a wellbore

Abstract

A downhole assembly including a turbine to be disposed within a wellbore and a rotating array. The rotating array includes magnetic material and is coupled to the turbine. The downhole assembly also includes a magnetostrictive material coupled to the rotating array to strain the magnetostrictive material to induce an electric current in a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A downhole assembly to harvest energy in a wellbore, the downhole assembly comprising:
 an impeller to be disposed in a wellbore; 
 a shaft coupled to the impeller and disposed within a housing; 
 a swash plate coupled to the shaft and disposed at an adjustable angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and a swash plate bearing surface of the swash plate; 
 a magnetostrictive device proximate to the swash plate and comprising magnetostrictive material and a conductor proximate to the magnetostrictive material, wherein the impeller drives the shaft in response to fluid flow in the wellbore; and 
 a rotating distal portion of the swash plate distal from the shaft, wherein the rotating distal portion of the swash plate rotates about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and wherein the magnetostrictive material is alternately compressed and relaxed by the rotating distal portion of the swash plate, thereby inducing an electrical current in the conductor. 
 
     
     
       2. The downhole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is coupled to the shaft disposed to provide a non-contact inertia drive. 
     
     
       3. The downhole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetostrictive material is in form of a rod. 
     
     
       4. The downhole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetostrictive device further comprises:
 a housing about the magnetostrictive material; and 
 a button assembly coupled to the magnetostrictive material to transfer the alternating compressive load to the magnetostrictive material. 
 
     
     
       5. The downhole assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 stator blades to accelerate the fluid flow toward the impeller.